Sailors and guests heading for the JS Hatakaze, a guided-missile destroyer and party venue. More than a thousand women applied for the party's 80 guest slots, leading the organizers to expand the invitation list. In the end, 131 showed up.
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Guests get a tour of the deck—a good opportunity for the sailors to discuss their jobs. Here one of them is pointing to one of the ship's missle launchers.
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A guest introduces herself.
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Off the ship during the matchmaking party's 'free-time session.'.
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Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera (sorry, girls—he's taken) makes an appearance. 'The SDF personnel, particularly those in the Maritime SDF, are well-trained at cleaning, washing and cooking,' he told the guests. 'I can assure you they will make wonderful husbands.'
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A petty officer chatting up an office worker at the stern of the Hatakaze.
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The day's highlight: The formation of a new couple is announced by the organizer to the applause of the other guests and sailors.
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Love is in the air: A petty officer lets Tomoko Matsuo wear his hat for a photo on the Hatakaze's upper deck..
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The assembled party poses for a parting photo.
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Japan’s military men are “well-trained,” defense minister Itsunori Onodera boasted in a weekend speech at the Yokosuka Naval Base — “at cleaning, washing, and cooking.”

Chieko Tsuneoka/The Wall Street Journal

A matchmaking party at the Yokosuka Base of Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force on July 13. Click for more photos.

His audience: 131 women who signed up for a Self-Defense Force “Talking Festival,” a social gathering to promote matchmaking between Maritime SDF personnel and women interested in dating, and maybe even marrying, men in uniform.

“I can assure you they will make wonderful husbands,” Mr. Onodera added, saying the sailors may be away from home a lot, but they had no time for cheating.

A navy-sponsored voluntary group started organizing matchmaking parties 15 years ago, and has been holding them about three times a year. They say 61 couples claim to have gotten married as a result of linking up at the events. For years, the parties drew lukewarm interest, but that changed after the 2011 tsunami and nuclear disasters raised the public profile of the Japan’s military, which took the lead in recovery and relief efforts.

The number of applicants seeking to attend each event rose to around 300 from 200 or so previously. For the Saturday, July 13 barbecue attended by JRT, a record 1,117 women raised their hands for the 80 spots advertised as available. Given demand, the sponsors expanded the party and 131 women ultimately came. Any Japanese woman 20 years of age could apply. The oldest female participant was 48, the oldest male was 53.

In a way, the rising number of applications for matchmaking is a barometer for the rising popularity of the Japanese military, known as the Self -Defense Forces. For decades, SDF troops kept a low profile in Japan’s pacifist society. But the 2011 disaster response, as well as territorial tensions with China and nuclear threats from North Korea, are bolstering support for the SDF among the Japanese populace.

The strong interest in the latest event was also stoked by broadcasting of an earlier event on network TV.

“After the quake, they looked very reliable,” said Namiko Nishimura, a 34-year-old clinical technician from Yokohama who was among the lucky women chosen by lottery to attend the latest party. “Even though the SDF soldiers all had their own families, they worked hard for the victims.”

(The parties are also a reflection of the continuing strong male dominance of Japan’s military. Only 5.5% of the 225,000 personnel in Japan’s SDF are women, compared with the U.S. military, where about 15% of military personnel are women. In the new class of MSDF rank-and-file sailors, 81 of 886 are women).

The Yokosuka base, with its grey warships, drab concrete barracks, and sailors in white uniforms, saw a procession of young women march through its gate, dressed in bright-colored summer dresses mid-morning Saturday.

The day started with a session to get to know other participants. Each attendee put on a badge with a number for identification and was given a list of the others at the event. First, the men — 111 members of the Maritime SDF mostly clad in uniform — lined up to introduce themselves, followed by the women. Each time a man introduced himself, women intently checked him against their lists and appraised his looks. When it was the women’s turn, the sailors reciprocated, with seriousness that would have made their drill officers proud.

Mr. Onodera then made his remarks, and soon it was lunch time. Fried chicken, sausage, fried noodles and potato salad were served. By then, quite a few of the women had found conversation partners.

Mie Kawamura, a 35-year-old clerical contract worker, was busy having a conversation with a sailor. “I have a friend who is married to a Ground SDF soldier. SDF men are all so pleasant,” she was heard as making her pitch. “I am hoping to become a wife who supports an SDF man working hard for Japan.”

After lunch, the women were escorted by the men to the guided missile destroyer Hatakaze berthed at the base, and enjoyed a stroll on its vast upper deck. For the sailors, this was the chance to make impressions. Some showed off their knowledge of warships and weapons. Others proudly talked about their jobs.

Tomoko Matsuo, a 28-year-old office worker, told JRT she had come all the way from Osaka to deepen her knowledge of the SDF. “My grandfather used to be at the Imperial Navy and I’ve always wanted to see a warship with my eyes for once.”

The event also made her think marrying a man in naval service may not be such a bad idea. “It just occurred to me, if they are away from home for months, perhaps I would be able to keep working even if I get married.”

Then came the day’s highlight. Each participant was given a card and asked to write down the number belonging to the person of the opposite sex whom he or she fancied. Then the organizers went through the cards to find matches. The first round of votes yielded 40 couples. The second round produced an additional 11. The new couples walked through the audience as others applauded.

Ms. Kawamura, the 35-year-old clerical worker, found a partner in Yusuke Taniguchi, a 28-year-old petty officer third class. “I am so happy! We will start as good friends and develop our relationship gradually,” Ms. Kawamura said. “But I also have to stress that my time is running out as I am already 35.”

Mr. Taniguchi seemed equally happy with what the day brought. “I joined the SDF because I wanted to protect and improve Japan but we get few opportunities to get to know women,” he said. “Today, I am glad I am with the SDF. I’d like to nurture a serious relationship with her.”

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